1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cervical collar, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a traction adjustable cervical collar for transferring weight of the head of a wearer from the cervical spine of the wearer to the shoulders of the wearer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
About 10% of the adult population suffers from neck pain of some type from time to time. The increased use of computers, travel, and driving, and the increase in sports and other trauma are causing an increase in neck related problems.
Pain may be moderate to severe and may be localized to the neck area or radiate to surrounding tissues. The actual origin of the pain could come from the spinal cord or its roots, the spinal column, the intervertebral discs, or the other support and soft tissue around the neck.
Numerous innovations for cervical orthopaedic devices have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
FOR EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 3,765,412 to Ommaya teaches a medical appliance comprising an inflatable cervical collar adapted to be disposed about the neck of the wearer.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,603 to Cumberland teaches a cervical traction apparatus comprising a head/neck/shoulder support unit having a vertical slot in the region corresponding to the cervical area. The slot separates the unit into a first section and a second section. The upper surfaces of the support unit are shaped to receive the head, neck, and shoulders of a reclining person. An inflatable air sac located within the unit between the first and second sections and provides apparatus for inflating the air sac so as to cause the first and second sections to separate.
STILL ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,027,801 to Grim teaches an orthopaedic gel pad assembly that includes a layer of gel, with a backing layer behind it, an apertured pad extending around the layer of gel, and a thin plastic film extending over the front surface of the gel. The plastic film controls the configuration of the front face of the gel, and the gel may be recessed, or indented, and may protrude forwardly out from the apertured pad. Stiff orthopaedic supports may be provided to back up the gel pad unit.
YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,479 to Chitwood teaches a cervical traction device which comprises a body including a shoulder portion, a head portion, and a bellows which extends substantially across the width and height of the body between and connected to the head portion and to the shoulder portion and acting against and between substantially the full inner end surface of the head portion and the full inner end surface of the shoulder portion. The bellows, the shoulder portion, and the head portion have aligned U-shaped openings therein adapted to receive a patient's neck. A hand operated air pump is connected to the bellows for pumping air into the bellows and for relieving or pumping air out of the bellows.
STILL YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,927 to Rogachevsky teaches an inflatable cervical traction device comprising a C-shaped multi-ribbed inflatable hollow collar having four separate chambers. Two of the chambers are located at rear right and left locations of the collar, while the other two chambers are located at front right and left locations of the collar. Structures are for securing two opposite front ends of the collar together in a releasable manner, to hold the collar about a neck of a person. A facility is for pumping air into the four chambers of the collar to inflate each of the four chambers at various pressurized amounts, so that the collar can properly support the neck of the person. An assembly is for releasing air from the four chambers of the collar, so that the collar can deflate to be easily removed from the neck of the person.
YET STILL ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,965 to Pillai teaches a cervical collar for lifting the skull of a wearer. The collar includes a core, a pair of bladders, and inflating apparatus. The core replaceably encircles the neck of the wearer. The pair of bladders are inflatable and disposed on the core. The inflating apparatus is in fluid communication with the pair of bladders, and when the pair of bladders are inflated to a predetermined pressure by the inflating apparatus, the skull of the wearer is gently pushed off the shoulders of the wearer, which relieves downward pressure on the cervical spine of the wearer by forming intrinsic neck traction, whose early and continued use relieves pain and weakness and prevents major and sometimes non-reversible deterioration of the cervical spine of the wearer.
STILL YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,554,785 to Sroufe teaches an orthopedic device of a therapeutic nature which includes an air bladder and an overlying gel bladder. The air and gel bladders are joined and are secured within a retainer which is adapted to be placed about a body part of a patient with the air or gel bladder being positioned next to the body part.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for cervical orthopaedic devices have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.